Facebook Bans 3D Printed Gun Blueprints Sites

Popular Mechanics reports on social media giant Facebook, which has recently “blocked sites hosting digital blueprints to make guns on 3D printers from using their platform.”

This is as a result of the State Department’s “recent decision to drop charges against the group Defense Distributed’s website DEFCAD.” As Replicator World has reported previously: “DEFCAD, one of the world’s most prominent distributors of 3D printed gun files, had been facing charges that it had been allowing the transfer of weapons of war overseas. While the State Department has dropped the matter, eight states have raised it, and a judge agreed to temporarily shut down the site, noting that ‘the balance of hardships and the public interest tip sharply’ towards having the sites inoperable.”

Of course, DEFCAD is far from the only website distributing 3D printed gun blueprints. “CodeIsFreeSpeech is another website which distributes blueprints for guns like Berettas, AR-15s, AR-10s, Rugers, and the gun made entirely from 3D printing, the Liberator.” Facebook’s ban targets this site as well.

The Firearms Policy Coalition, the “pro-Second Amendment nonprofit” which runs CodeIsFreeSpeech complained about Facebook’s new policy: “what we are experiencing is a complete ban on CodeIsFreeSpeech – not a ‘shadow ban,’ not a reduced newsfeed presence, but a complete and total ban. Welcome to Facebook North Korea…” [Emphasis theirs]

For its part, Facebook explained their reasoning upon the announcement of the ban: “sharing instructions on how to print firearms using 3D printers in not allowed under our Community Standards. In line with our policies, we are removing this content from Facebook.”

Additionally, Facebook claims “it is currently working on strengthening its stance against 3D printed guns, although it has not provided any additional examples.”